The Heat
by Fire Mistress
Summary: Quistis awakes from her unconciousness as she found herself in a stranger's house. What happens when she finds out that the stranger is Seifer? R&R please! Chapt. 2 is finally up!
1. Remembrance Of The Past

The Heat

Chapter 1: Remembrance Of The Past 

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. It belongs to Squaresoft. I just borrow them :)

It was beautiful. Everything in it. From the sands that warmed her toes, to the chilly wind that played softly with her hair, and caress her face. She smiled. Never in her life has she seen such beauty spread before her very, deep blue eyes. Being an instructor never gave her time to stop and look at Mother Nature. It was amazing, almost too gorgeous to be true. The sea shined like a chain of white pearls, and the moon gave the sea a mysterious, yet incredibly fascinated look. You didn't need to be an observer to notice that. At her right, the giggling sound of a young girl and a young boy caught her sight. They seemed so happy, so carefree…without worries or problems. How she wished to be a kid again. To enjoy all the wonderful things that the Earth offered her. Falling asleep underneath a tree surrounded by flowers, hearing the silent lullaby of the wind.

Quiet days always calmed her. Separating Seifer from Zell or Squall wasn't such an easy job back when she was young. She always remembered how every time with a headache, she will come to this exact spot, and just smell the fresh air. How sometimes, she danced with the petals that flew everywhere. She felt like if she was in Heaven. But she was twenty-two now. A matured young woman, who's also one of the famous Mercenary SeeDs who saved the world from a certain doom. She had no time to look around her. She had no time to appreciate nature and even less, falling in love. 

She hated to admit it, but Rinoa was the reason why she stopped caring for man. Even though she lied about everything being a "brother-sister" jealousy thing, she really did cared for Squall. And Rinoa took that away from her…not that is was hers in the first place. At first she hated Rinoa a lot. She just couldn't stand the fact that she has won the strong heart of the Lion. But after a while, she began to love her. Who wouldn't? She was just so carefree and nice. That's when she let Rinoa enter the cold heart of hers, and help her care for her friends. Now they were inseparable. She was always there and Rinoa needed her and vice-versa. Just like if they were soul sisters. 

For the first time in years has she returned back to the orphanage. It's been a while, a really while. Nothing was the same, yet the gentle wind never seemed to have ceased. She was glad that her Matron decided to throw a party as a celebration for the new reconstruction of the orphanage, since now she could take a little time off, and remember about her past. Since she was now an instructor, she hardly needed to use GFs, so most of her lost memories came back to her. From her cheerful times, through the tough and cold ones. 

Sighting, she decided to take a walk. Even though the music coming from Edea's House wasn't very loud, it was still disturbing her thoughts. She wanted someplace where the only sounds that she could hear were those of the sea crashing into the rocks, and the soft music of the crickets. Wrapping one arm around her waist, Quistis Trepe stood up from the warm sand, and taking with the other her heeled shoes, she decides to find a more peaceful place to think. 

"Fuck. If this temperature keeps on dropping, I'm going to freeze my ass up" murmured Quistis in between shattering teeth, as she tried to get warmth by hugging herself. This morning was so hot, that a day in the beach wouldn't satisfy the hunger of the sun to make tans, and now the temperature dropped so quick, that Quistis wasn't ready for it at all. Wearing only a bathing suit top and a long, flowery skirt was the only little warmth she got from the harsh cold. 

She decided then to go back to the orphanage; maybe there she could get the warmth that she needed. Turning back on her heels, she stared to retrieve. Beautiful, blue eyes opened in shock, as Quistis realized the one thing she feared the most when she convinced her mind for a long stroll…getting lost. Searching from side to side, she tried desperately to find something that she remembered. A house, a particular tree…but nothing, only the endless sea and the now cold sand underneath her.

She cursed again, seeing at how things like this always happened to her at the wrong times. Needless to say, she didn't have a warm place to spend the night. Her shivering body begged her to rest; yet her mind, which told her to go on, took control. She knew that if she stopped, maybe because of her tiredness, her body would decide to go into a deep slumber, and she would die frozen for sure. She continued walking then, determined to find food and shelter. There's have to be someplace warm to stay for the night; she just refused to believe she will die like that. Not there, not now, not like that. 

She shivered. The cold winds grew stronger each moment, as if it wanted to freeze her to death. Like if I was mad at her for an unknown reason. She couldn't stand the cold anymore and collapsed on the icy, sandy floor. She sneezed. Blue eyes opened shocked at the sight she expected the least…snow. She blinked several times, trying to deny what was happening. Snow? On the warmest place in the world? In July? What was going on?

She quivered once again and sighed. No time to think of that right now. She was freezing frosty and she needed some warmth. She tried standing up, but she was too weak and cold, and so she fell on the sand again. Hyne, was she going to make it alive? She thought. It would take more than a miracle, too impossible to believe. Who was stupid enough to be wandering around here in this freezing weather?

And so did the truth hit her. She wasn't going to make it alive. The only thing she could do now was rest there…and prayed to Hyne that this wasn't her last night on Earth. That she was strong enough to stand few more hours until she was rested enough to go on. Like a slick cat, she walked on both of her legs and arms to the nearest tree around her. Sitting herself up, she hugged herself in hope of finding some warmth in her now frozen body, and felt asleep.

************************************************

"Hyne, where could she possible be?! It's bellowed zero and she wasn't dressed appropriately to stand this harsh cold!" Squall practically yelled, his face showing concerns rather than angriness. "Are you sure you have looked everywhere?"

"Yes. But I'm serious man, is like if the Earth has swallowed her or somethin'" Zell responded as he sat down on one of the sofas in Edea's living room.

Squall sighed. 

Now he was really staring to panic. What if Quistis got kidnapped or something? After all, a lot of people resented SeeDs even though they saved the world. People were just too weird and hard to understand. A munching and later on coughing sound broke the silence between the young Elites. Zell apparently has taken one of the hot dogs placed on the desk in front of him, and like typical old Zell, he was choking on them. Rinoa and Selphie quickly went to his aid, with Edea's laughter in the background, Irvine only grin. Squall on the other hand, just placed his hand on his face and wished so badly to be the one choking Zell right now.

"There. I just wonder how you can eat in a time like this! Quistis is missing, you know? Eek, mega bummers, I sound like Raijin!!!" Selphie chirped. 

Gulping on the glass of water that Edea brought him from the kitchen, he dried his lips and more relieved now, placed the half-full glass of water on the table…just in case he starts choking on them again, and shrugged.

"I can't help it. I always eat when I get nervous." He justified.

"No wonder they call you Chicken Wuss" Irvine declared. Strong fists clenched and the Martial Artist was on his feet ready to punch Irvine. It took the desperate voice of Matron Edea and the rough and angry voice of Squall to settle him down. Irvine only smirked.

"You two are going to stop now or I'll be forced to use discipline on both of you, understood?" Squall snarled.

"But he…"

"UNDERSTOOD?!" Squall repeated.

"…Yes" Zell murmured as he took another hotdog to control his anger. He looked at a smiling Irvine and took a big bite of his food.

Rinoa paced nervously from one side of the room to the other. Just when she thought that everything was going to be okay after Time Compression, this happened. She loved Quistis dearly. She was like a big sister to her. Always helping her out in her studies when she needed it the most and teaching her new things. Quistis wasn't exactly a sorceress, but since she had studied so much about them, when Edea was too busy with the new orphanage, Quistis always helped her out. She always took time for her, and she really did appreciate that. She also remembered when she got sick once. Quistis got so scared. She even made her favorite dessert, baked apple pie, just to make her feel better. Rinoa just have to find her no matter what. She just resisted believing that something wrong was going on.

Squall sighed once again, worried of his girlfriend. He had never seen her like this. She was always so carefree, and now, she could of been offered a cigarette and she would of have accepted it, just to calm her nervousness. He walked towards her then and wrapping his arms around her, he kissed her temple. She buried her face on Squall's coat, and that's when she stared to cry. He smiled. She did cared for Quistis as much at he thought she did, and this just proved it. He wished they could go on the search for Quistis, but with the terrible storm outside, that would be impossible. So he did the only thing he could possibly think of at the moment…pray…

*************************************

He was freaking cold. The soft snow combined with the strong wind hit his face like a cube of frozen water. For his point of view, the wind howled like a pack of hungry wolves. Starving to kill someone. Eager to kill him. Just as he made his way towards his little cabin, he tripped over something. He cursed to himself as he tried to clear his view and look for the responsible of his fall. Blue eyes opened wide as he noticed that the something was actually a someone. He took his finger-less glove and touched her delicate face and then her wrist to find any kind of pulse. And he did… a low one too. Carefully, he placed his strong arms underneath her and lifted her up. He smiled as he took her to his cabinet.

AN: Some of you might find this familiar and it is. I just rewrote it a bit. I haven't worked on this fiction for ages!! My apologies. Don't worry chapter two will come shortly. Please read and review. Thank You.


	2. Surprise!

The Heat –

Chapter 2: Surprise!

Disclaimer: I don't own any rights to any of these characters. They all belong to Squaresoft. Enjoy!

She began to stir as she stared to regain consciousness. Her eyes flew right open, immediately regretting it as a wave of pain and heat followed soon after. She blinked a couple of times, trying to adjust to the slim light that seemed to be causing such a great effect on her. She frowned as she looked around her. She didn't know where the hell was she or what have happened. As she turned to the window, memories flashed back. Snowstorm, coldness, getting lost…fainting. She shuttered then, wondering what in Hyne's name have she gotten herself into. 

As she got off the soft and warm bed, she felt her temperature rising. Placing her fragile hand on her forehead, she felt a fever coming. Great, she was getting sick in a place she didn't even recognized. She wondered who the housekeeper was. The room she was in was surprisingly well decorated. Her bed was amusingly clean and so were the walls. Next to the bed was a bureau. It was made out of real wood at frankly, looked quite expensive. She turned to her left as she saw something very familiar on top of a chair…it was her clothes. The clothes she was wearing before this whole fainting business came about. She felt a sting of red flush on her cheeks. Instantly, she pulled the cotton sheets that were covering her off. She watched in terror as she found herself wearing a large, black shirt. What was even scarier was the fact that this shirt was way too long to belong to a woman. She shuttered. What the hell was going on? 

Impulsively, she got off the bed to find whoever was responsible for what happened. Hopefully, he will have the answers to all of her questions. Oh, she will give him a piece of her mind once she sees him! She stumbled at bit as she found herself in the need to hold something, anything as her weak body almost stumbled to the floor. She got a hold of the wall as she sighed heavily in and out, in and out. Every movement she made seemed to be getting her weaker and weaker by the second. She had a hard time keeping her eyes opened for Hyne's sake! 

She tried looking for her Save the Queen but found herself cursing at her misfortune. Since it was a pleasure trip after all, she had forgotten her weapon back at the Garden. Guess she had to defend herself with her own hands if she needed to. Slowly, she walked towards the door and placing her petite hands on the cold knob, she opened the door with a caution that would of made anyone who didn't know her think she was about to spy on someone.

As she made her way out the room, her sapphire eyes snapped wide opened in amazement. The place was beautiful in every sense of the word. It wasn't very fancy but it was decorated beautifully. She saw a small, framed picture just above the chimney. Curious, she walked towards it, still hugging herself to the wall afraid of falling. What she saw in that picture was something that took her breath away as it seemed to have frozen her body. It was a picture of her, Squall, Selphie, Zell, Irvine and Seifer when they were in the orphanage. They looked so happy back then. Well, almost everyone. Squall was standing all the way on the edge of the picture without a hint of smile in his beautiful face and Seifer…well, same old Seifer. He had a smirk on his face as he teased Zell placing two fingers like rabbit's ear for the picture. Edea was in the middle of all of them. With a warm motherly smile as she watched over all her children. She smiled then, that it until she heard a rich voice from behind. A voice she hasn't heard in two whole years.

"Finally awake, Instructor"

She shivered then. The mere thought of him made the last string of her hair rise. Why was she with him? What have happened to him after all this years? She couldn't help but wonder as he made his way towards her. Quistis was so caught up in thoughts, that she didn't noticed that Seifer was right in front of her. He waved her hands in front of her eyes as she jumped as a sudden reaction. 

"What is it instructor, are you sleeping in another world?" he laughed. She hated his mockery. She hated the way he always seems to tease her just in the right moments. She hated the way he always worn that stupid smirk. That smirk that burned her thoughts and made her blood boil. All in all, she plainly hated him.   

"Seifer…"

"Yes?"

She swore to Hyne, if she had the strength, she would have smacked the living hell out of him. Apparently, Seifer seemed a bit annoyed at her silent accusations. He could tell by the way her eyes burned right through his skin that she hasn't forgiven him. She hasn't forgotten after two years of his sudden disappearance, after the fight with Ultimecia, and even after they learned that he was brainwashed to do what he did. Deceptively, she didn't cared, like he bet the rest of the gang didn't either. He wanted to tell her how sorry he was. He wanted to scream for her to understand, but his pride was way stronger than what he felt for his childhood's friends and in his eyes, they were the ones who had to forgive him without much apologizing coming from him.  

"Why do you have our childhood picture?"

"Huh?" he was taken aback when Quistis asked that question. Why did he have that picture? He didn't quite understand. Probably it was meant as a remembrance that he had friends before his life changed. Before he became the Sorceress' lapdog and an incredible threat and enemy to the garden he practically grew on. He thought for a while, sighted and simply answered:

"I don't know"

"Oh," was all she managed to say. She was expecting more, but why did she? This was Seifer after all. The same Seifer who have betrayed them to join the Sorceress side. The very one who put their lives in danger and the whole world's. She felt a stain of pain waving through her body as her knees weakened. She took a quick hold of the red chair near her as she tried her best not to fall. Seifer at seeing this, tried to helped her, but all thoughts of this was washed away as she pushed him aside in defiance.   

"What the hell am I doing here? What have you done to me?"

"I found you underneath a tree almost solid as a rock. You were lucky I was nearby to save your sorry ass or you would of died frozen."

"I would have preferred that than being here with you! And why do you care, anyways? Is not like is the first time you wanted us to die! What, got a dream all of the sudden were the devil warned you to be good or you were going to hell!? Well!" she wondered madly. His eyes were returning back to his usual self as his hands clenched into fists. He swore to Hyne that if she wasn't a woman or if she wouldn't be this weak, he would of shut that mouth of hers in an instance.

"I was only trying to help, god dammed! Why is it that every time I try to do something good to amend my past, someone always have to come screwing it up? Eh? Why is it that everyone accuses me of almost trying to kill them knowing that I was under mind control?! Tell me Ms. Trepe! How come all my all friends hates he know!? Why can't they listen to reason? Why do they always jump to my throat without giving me a chance to explain? Why, god dammit, why?!"

She blinked a couple of time as she tried to swallow everything Seifer has said. For some reason, she felt her fever rising even more and she stared to sweat uncontrollably. Her knees began to shake as her body began to feel heavy and tired. Her head seamed like it was at the border of exploding and she couldn't take it. Her body was about to give in, and she knew it well…too well. But she didn't want to give in. Who knows what Seifer would do to her if she fainted.

"Because…" she tried to answer. Seifer waited patiently for her to respond as he crossed his arms and tapped his left foot annoyingly.

"Because…" and before any of them knew it, she fainted.

An: Well, like I promised, here is the second chapter. Like I said before, I'm really sorry for such long waiting. Thanks for your reviews everyone ^-^          


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